Florescent forest.

Despite a dry summer, Pennsylvania has really been delivering on the fall foliage this year. Maybe it’s just me, and I’m just outside and noticing it more, but it actually seems like this has been one of the best years for autumn colors in a while.

Earlier this week, in Coopers Gap, I was simply in awe of the florescent yellows, stark reds, and oranges with a hint of purple. My favorite leaves are the multi-colored ones, those with hints of green, red, yellow, and brown, all mixed together.

Some spots of the forest floor are covered in crimson, others gold. The colorful coating is so thick in spots that it’s hard to follow the trail. But I’m a regular in these woods, and have some ability to anticipate turns and winding paths.

Jody joined me for a morning ride, a slow-rolling, hanging-out, enjoying-the-day pedal through the forest. I’m breaking in the Beargrease, getting used to my new fat companion before the snow hits, figuring out the Bluto and setting it up so that it’s perfect. The orange-fade-pink frame color is really growing on me.

The woods smell earthy, like a perfect mixture of leaves and sunshine. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect—75 and sunny, no humidity, perhaps a slight breeze but not windy. I would love it if every day were this way. But then of course, as with all things, I wouldn’t appreciate it.

We took our time, stopping to chat a lot. I took Jody on some new-to-him trails, one of my favorite things to do. He had a blast on Lingle Valley, a grin-inducing descent ending with stream crossings through rhododendron groves. The meandering climb on Dutch Alvin provided ample leaf-peeping opportunities. We ended on trail with Peep, popping out at the lot to a couple cold All Day IPAs that awaited in my cooler.

Cheers to fall, florescent forests, and being in the woods with friends.